Posted on 05/26/2002 6:26:33 AM PDT by AM2000
It appears that the Americans have crucial information about a dangerous development in the region, says Parsa Venkateshwar Rao Jr
The United States State Department has issued an urgent message to American citizens in India, asking them to leave the country immediately. It is an unprecedented measure, and it has triggered panic among Americans here.
There is a fear that the skies are not really clear as asserted by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, and that there are portents of an India-Pakistan war.
There have been occasions in the last few years, especially after the attacks on the American embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salam in 1998, when Americans travelling abroad had been issued to travel advisory, asking them to keep away from certain countries.
It is learnt that this is the first time ever that the State Department had issued such a message because in the earlier India-Pakistan conflicts, including the latest one during the Kargil episode, no such message went out to the Americans.
More than in India, it is in Pakistan that the Americans seem to have felt a sudden change in attitude. It is learnt that there is a general sense of coldness and hostility towards the Americans in the public mood in Pakistan.
After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington and the US war against terrorism in Afghanistan, which led to the defeat of the Taliban regime and the Al Qaeda group of terrorists, ordinary Americans, who are globetrotters, are seen to be more vulnerable than ever.
What is strange, however, is the fact that the outbreak of hostilities between India and Pakistan - and which for the moment seem to be most unlikely - should cause a sense of danger among Americans living and travelling in the rest of India.
This has led to the bizarre speculation of a nuclear war between the two South Asian neighbours, and that it is this reason that the State Department was so keen to move all its citizens out of the explosive region.
Americans are known to panic so much more easily than the others, and it should not come as a surprise that the State Department was only displaying the American trait of extreme caution against possible extreme situations.
At a time when US President George W Bush has issued a special appeal to India and Pakistan to avert war, and US Secretary of State Colin Powell has issued the tense statement that India and Pakistan will be made to back off, the State Department message sends out an alarming signal.
It appears that the Americans have crucial information about a dangerous development in the region, and this is the basis of the message sent out to American civilians in India. But it could well turn out to be exaggerated view of a grim and tense situation in the region.
Nothing about it on their web page (http://www.state.gov/).
This writer knows only liberals. The other half of us don't need your help or opinion, and furthermore buddy, we'll see who panics first.
Given, I’m monitoring the situation from afar via various media outlets, but I don’t think I’d classify a situation that involves two fronts which have massed over 1 million soldiers into a disputed region rife with muslim terrorists who would love nothing more than to trigger a nuclear war and area “unlikely” for an “outbreak of hostilities”.
Further, let’s not forget that if a nuclear conflict does erupt, India is down wind.
Owl _ Eagle
“Guns before butter.”
India - Travel WarningMay 24, 2002
This Travel Warning is being issued to warn Americans to defer travel to India. Conditions along India's border with Pakistan and in the state of Jammu & Kashmir have deteriorated. Tensions have risen to serious levels and the risk of intensified military hostilities between India and Pakistan cannot be ruled out.
The Department of State warns Americans to defer travel to India, particularly all border areas between India and Pakistan including the Indian states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Punjab, and to the state of Jammu & Kashmir. The Indian Government has closed virtually all land and air links with Pakistan, ending travel between the two countries. Military movements continue along both the Line of Control in Kashmir and the border between India and Pakistan. Artillery firing along the Line of Control has caused death and injury in that area. Terrorist groups, some of which are linked to al-Qaida and have previously been implicated in attacks on Americans, are active there as well, and have attacked and killed civilians.
The Department of State urges American citizens who remain in India to consider departing the country. Those who decide to remain there should carefully monitor media reports for current information on developing situations and stay in touch with the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi or the nearest U.S. Consulate General in India. U.S. citizens in India are strongly urged to register and obtain updated security information at the Embassy or the nearest Consulate.
Their own homeland needs their help more than anyone else in this time of harship.
While illegals should defintely been deported immediately.
Look on the bright side. At least Burma isn't involved. It if was then the fit would really hit the Shan.
I read some of what PLATANK was writing and if he is who he claims to be I will do more research.
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